This archive report was first published on 11 December 2019.
Customer Service Failures to Watch Out For ¶
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Have you ever walked into a supermarket, picked a cart, and struggled to find what you need? You came in with a list, but three items remained elusive. After searching the aisles, you couldn't find any signs or employees to help. Frustrated, you gave up and headed to the checkout.
Many of us experience poor customer service in various settings. Business owners often create such environments due to one of four common mistakes.
Firstly, some leaders fail to take initiative in understanding customer needs. They ignore industry staff-to-customer ratios and don't conduct market research. Instead, they copy others or rely on their imagination.
Secondly, cost-cutting measures can backfire. Business owners might save Sh1,500 per day by not hiring extra staff, but they overlook the potential loss of Sh100,000 per day in foregone sales due to poor customer service.
Thirdly, some businesses fail to understand what delights their customers. They might conduct post-payment surveys, but these often serve as a venting platform for angry clients. To truly understand customer needs, business executives should spend time observing and interacting with customers in the moment.
Lastly, ineffective processes can lead to poor customer service. Employees might congregate in the front of the store, socializing instead of attending to customers. This mentality assumes customers will trek to the front to ask questions, but in reality, they often forgo spending and the business loses revenue.
To avoid these common mistakes, businesses should take time to know their customers, analyze what delights them, study and implement the right staff-to-customer ratio, and put processes in place to ensure employees engage with customers properly.
